Borough beds-in-sheds team demolish Hillingdon outbuilding

AN illegal outbuilding is to be demolished after the owner failed to heed repeated warnings from Hillingdon Council.

The borough’s Beds in Sheds team fenced off the area and gained entry to the building in Pole Hill Road, Hillingdon, on Monday morning after an ongoing planning row with the owner, Syed Hussain.

The eyesore had originally started out as a one-storey garage and was then turned into two storeys, making it a visually dominant building that was out of keeping with the area.

Once officers gained entry, they discovered the building had already been fitted with a kitchen and appliances, showing all the signs of becoming a lived-in property, or ‘bed in a shed’.

This is the first time the borough has had to take direct action against an outbuilding like this and complete the demolition work itself. It will seek to recoup all costs incurred from the owner.

The council has previously taken action to demolish an unlawful extension.

A planning inspector had already dismissed an earlier appeal by Mr Hussain against a council enforcement notice to demolish the building.

Two applications to judicially review the appeal decision at the High Court were refused. Mr Hussain was left to pay the legal costs.

Councillor Keith Burrows, cabinet member for planning, transportation and recycling, said: “This building is an absolute eyesore and we have received a number of complaints about it from residents, so I am pleased to see this matter finally being resolved.

“We tried to reason with Mr Hussain and gave him plenty of opportunity to demolish the building himself, but we’ve taken the decision to intervene and do the work ourselves, at his cost.”